Mark-Paul Gosselaar to Star in Fox's Vampire Drama Pilot The Passage

Pitch‘s Mark-Paul Gosselaar is staying in the Fox fold with a starring role in the network’s vampire-themed drama pilot The Passage, TVLine has learned.

Adapted from Justin Cronin’s popular book series, The Passage envisions a post-apocalyptic future where virus-infected vampires roam the earth, with human colonies banding together to survive. (That book was followed by 2012’s The Twelve and this year’s The City of Mirrors.) Fox bought the film rights to The Passage before it was even published, and a Twilight-like film series was planned for years, but now they’re opting to bring it to the small screen.

Gosselaar will play Brad Wolgast, a federal agent who balks at retrieving 10 year old Amy Bellafonte (played by American Horror Story‘s Saniyya Sidney), who has been targeted for the unholy government experiment. He instead goes on the run with her, with a veritable army of Feds on his heels.

Friday Night Lights writer Liz Heldens penned the pilot, with Dawn of the Planet of the Apes helmer Matt Reeves among the exec-producers.

The cast also includes Genesis Rodriguez (Time After Time), Brianne Howey (The Exorcist), BJ Britt (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) and Jennifer Ferrin (Hell on Wheels).